Is that because of principle or because you are cheap?

Two weeks ago Lafa and myself took a trip to D.C. to see a favorite Aunt J who was there attending a conference…a conference for which she was presenting at. The trip was pretty interesting for several reasons.

Reason One:

First, Lafa thought that it would best if we drove to the Reagan National Airport to park the car. Her thought were that it was much easier to travel around D.C. by metro than driving a vehicle. The second reason was that it was much cheaper to park there then downtown. After parking our car we headed to the metro station to catch a train and meet Aunt J at a restaurant that we all had decided upon, Art & Soul. While we were standing on the train station platform we were approached by a nicely dressed man who asked if this train was headed downtown. We indicated to an overhead sign and told him that he should take the yellow train that would be arriving in 7 minutes.* As we looked at the sign we noticed that the next train coming into the station was not identified with a color. This seemed unusually, but we thought nothing of it.

As we stood there the man kept on getting closer to the line of where the train doors would open, he seemed to be in a pretty big hurry.

A few minutes went by and then the unidentified train posted on the information sign came rolling into the station. There were several facts about this train that seemed interesting. First, all the window had been spray painted out. Second, it did not appear to have any light one it. Slowly the train came to a stop with one of the doors located directly in front of the man who had approached us earlier. From my trained eye I would say he was 6 to 8 inches away from the door. Not altering from the other trains that he rolled through this trains doors creped open, but unlike any other train that I have seen from the door, directly in front of our friend, stepped a women all in black holding the largest automatic rifle I have ever seen (although to be honest I am not sure if I have ever really seen one up close and personal). This women stepped from the train standing with her face less than an inch away from the well dressed man’s face. Without hesitation the man said in a very ? voice, “Well, heeelllooo.” The look of stone cold apathetic expression that was displayed on the mystery woman’s face did not faultier. She continued to stare this man down—note that in the background one could clearly hear Lafa and I saying, “Don’t get on this train…this is not your train!!!!”

As anonymous as the train came in, it left, and as the last train car pulled away the man turned on his heals displaying a look of complete mortification and said, “ J.C. I just about wet my pants!!!” Turning to Lafa we both knew that this was a great start to what would be a great weekend.

I will let you know that after we boarder our train and arrived at another metro station I approached one of the security guards and asked about the mystery train. I was informed that it was a money train that was picking-up all the money from the various metro stations.

That evening we had dinner at good soul food restaurant, where we had fried green tomatoes, some of the best mac and cheese I have had, and various other foods that the south is so known for.

REASON #2
I had a friend once ask me if I didn't have a microwave because of my principles or because I was cheap. Turns out, it was because no one flew to D.C., purchased a microwave, shoved it in a cab, brought it to a conference, and then gave it to me to take home. Of course, the person who purchased the microwave in DC (as opposed to flying with it), did fly with a leaf blower in her suitcase. She swears it was for her presentation. Back to Square and me. Here is your visual: Square walking in front of me while we carry the microwave from our hotel near the White House, on the metro, on the economy lot shuttle bus, and into our car. They were setting up for the first state dinner at the White House...I wonder if the Salahis had been carrying the microwave would they still be able to get in?

We actually got pretty adept at navigating with it--with some minor adjustments needing to be made on the escalators (which was complicated by the height difference between the two of us). We now have a very fun, red microwave (thank you Aunt J and friends). Feel free to bring your microwave popcorn and movies to our house. Okay, don't feel that free...we like a little notice (b/c what if we don't like you that much and want to come up with an excuse? ;) )

*I believe that I might have said something a little snarky that he would have to stick-out his thumb to hitch a ride with the train he wanted. What can I say, I thought it was funny.